If I told you about a tool that would be 277% more effective at driving leads to your business than other similar tools … what would you think?
Would you be skeptical? Expect a sales pitch? Would you initially think “oh it’s probably a scam” or “the numbers are inflated”?
Don’t worry – it’s none of the above. In fact, it’s your lucky day. I’m gonna give you the scoop: it’s LinkedIn.
I know, I was surprised too. But, the facts don’t lie.
This is interesting to me for a few reasons, actually. First, it shows that social media can boost your marketing efforts in a big way. If you use social media the right way, you can take visitors to your website, blog or social network and turn them into leads. Second, it means business professionals (you and me) have a great opportunity that is just waiting to be taken advantage of!
But what about B2C companies?
According to this article, LinkedIn is still more effective than other social media networks because “less content is generally posted to LinkedIn than to other social networks” and there is less social “clutter on LinkedIn, making a person capable of consuming a higher percentage of the content.”
Good point. I never thought it that way before, so consider this:
Facebook is a place where people talk to old and new friends, post pictures of recent vacations and wish long-distance friends a Happy Birthday each year.
LinkedIn is a social network people strictly use for professional purposes. Someone visiting your LinkedIn page is probably already pre-qualified because they are already interested in you and your business.
Furthermore, from a professional development standpoint, I think there is value in creating connections with other local businesses that can help you grow.
Here are some other things I’ve learned about how to maximize LinkedIn.
- Update my personal profile. It’s paramount to use a real photo on the profile– people do business with people, not default icons. Also, getting my page up to date with a current job title, link to company website and a description of my business has been important in creating real connections.
- Invest time in exploring LinkedIn: I’m learning that I have to put some time in to social media before it pays dividends. I started by connect with colleagues, professional friends, current customers and clients, and make sure to join groups, both local and industry specific.
- Post content that is targeted and purposeful: I view this as a chance to show what I know. I want people who come to my LinkedIn page to see activity, in case they want to contact me. Better yet, I’ve found it useful to include posts with calls-to-action and links to my website as well. It’s all in finding the balance.
- Join in the discussion: There are so many places on LinkedIn to contribute my industry experience and know-how by looking at the discussions in the Groups I’ve joined. I’ve learned that you never know who is paying attention and might be impressed by the thoughts you share.
- View this as a worthwhile investment of time and effort so you’ll keep it up. I strive to provide great customer service because I know it is essential for keeping my advertisers happy, and using online tools should have that same value to me. This is a social, online world, so I’ve learned to shift my perspective and recognize that this is another essential part of my business.
Now let’s get to it and connect on LinkedIn if we haven’t already!
Valpak
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